In a significant move to address the growing concern of student mental health, the Maharashtra government has announced plans to develop a comprehensive online counselling module for schools across the state. This initiative comes in direct response to directions from the Supreme Court of India.
Committee Formed to Design Mental Health Strategy
A high-level committee has been constituted to spearhead this crucial project. The panel is headed by Rahul Rekhawar, the director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT). The committee includes senior officials from the health services department, the textbook bureau, and the school education board. Notably, renowned child psychologist Dr. Harish Shetty and representatives from psychology associations are also part of this team.
The committee's formation is based on a Supreme Court order dated July 25, 2025, issued in a petition filed by Sukhdev Saha. The court had directed all states to strengthen mental health support systems within schools. As part of this process, the Maharashtra state government is now required to submit an Action Taken Report to the court.
Key Responsibilities of the Panel
The committee has been entrusted with a multi-faceted mandate with both immediate and long-term goals:
- Building a robust online counselling system that will leverage the support of clinical psychologists stationed at district hospitals.
- Creating specialized training content and instructional videos aimed at helping both students and their parents effectively cope with academic and examination-related stress.
- Developing a phased plan with short-term, medium-term, and long-term objectives to systematically improve mental health infrastructure in schools.
- Reviewing and expanding the existing network of 350 trained counsellors who currently provide guidance exclusively to students of Classes 10 and 12 around board exams.
- Ensuring that textbooks published in the state will prominently feature helpline numbers where students can seek immediate assistance.
District-Level Psychologists and Expanded Services
A critical component of the Supreme Court's directive, which the committee will also examine, is the instruction to appoint a clinical psychologist in every district. This move aims to decentralize expert mental health support and make it accessible at the grassroots level for schools.
The panel has been given a strict timeline of three months to prepare a detailed report and submit its final recommendations to the state government. The envisioned online counselling module represents a proactive step towards creating a safer, more supportive educational environment for Maharashtra's young learners.
